India receives 35% less rain in 1st week of June: IMD

Monsoon rains so far have been 35% below average till the week ended June 3 after the tropical cyclone Aila lashed the country’s east coasts on May 25, slowing progress of the weather system, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The country received 12.5 millimeters of rainfall in the period as against the 50-year average of 19.2 millimeters, the weather bureau said. Rains were 32% below normal in the three months to May 31, the IMD said. The nation received 91 millimeters in the quarter, less than the 134.5 millimeter average, the agency said. Rains were deficient or scanty in 24 out of 36 weather zones last week, and normal in the remainder. The June-September rainfall will be 96% of the so-called long-period average, recorded between 1941 and 1990, a level deemed near normal, the weather bureau said.

The meteorological analysis and numerical weather prediction models suggest further advances of rains over some more parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Coastal areas of Orissa during next 48 hour, the IMD says on its web site. The southwest monsoon may revive in two days, after remaining stagnant for the last few days following an early onset over the Kerala coast, the weather bureau said. Scattered to fairly wide spread rainfall activity over west coast of India and northeastern states, is likely from June 7, it added. The monsoon covered Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and some parts of Orissa, West Bengal and Sikkim before stalling on May 25, the IMD said. Rains were meant to move next to Maharashtra.